Danish Parliament Takes First Steps Towards Circumcision Ban

A parliamentary committee in Denmark has cleared the way for a nonbinding vote on a petition calling for banning nonmedical circumcision of boys for “humanitarian reasons.” The Folketingets Administration says that the text of the petition presents no constitutional obstacles. A vote could be held before November according to Lena Nyhus, an activist for the ban and one of the initiators of the petition.

The petition crossed the 50,000 mark in June, four months after launching. According to regulations, petitions approved for posting on the Danish parliament’s website are brought to a vote as nonbinding motions if they receive that level of support within six months unless they are deemed unconstitutional.

The petition calls circumcision a form of abuse and corporeal punishment, equating it with female genital mutilation. The petition also calls for parents who have their children circumcised outside Denmark to be exposed to legal action in Denmark.